KOSTRAD (Komando Cadangan Strategis Angkatan Darat: "Army Strategic Reserve Command") is the Indonesian Army's Strategic Reserve Command. KOSTRAD is a Corps level command which has up to 35,000 troops. It also supervises operational readiness among all commands and conducts defense and security operations at the strategic level in accordance with policies of the TNI commander.

As a corps, KOSTRAD is commanded by a Panglima (Commander-in-Chief), usually a lieutenant general. KOSTRAD falls under the army chief of staff for training, personnel, and administration. However, it comes under the Commander-in-Chief of the Indonesian National Armed Forces for operational command and deployment.

Starting 1984 the Panglima of KOSTRAD (PANGKOSTRAD) has been charged to lead the conduct of combat operations, called defense and security operations.

History

KOSTRAD came into being during military action for Indonesia's take over of Western New Guinea in 1960, and was formally constituted on 6 March 1961. Initially designated the Army General Reserve Corps, its name was changed to KOSTRAD in 1963.

General Suharto, was appointed as the first head of KOSTRAD in 1961, and it was in this role that he was able assert the army's control in the days following the abortive coup attempt on the evening of 30 September 1965, which ultimately led to Suharto replacing Sukarno as Indonesian president.

The command's troops have fought in most Indonesian military operations since their formation, such as G-30-S/PKI (30 September Movement/Indonesian Communist Party), Trisula, the PGRS (Sarawak People's Guerrilla Force) in Sarawak, the PARAKU (North Kalimantan People's Force) in North Kalimantan, and Operation Seroja in East Timor.

KOSTRAD troops have also been used beyond Indonesia's borders, as was the case with Garuda troops in Egypt (1973-78) and Vietnam (1973-75) and with those in the combined peace force in the midst of the Iran–Iraq War of 1989 and 1990.

Strength

KOSTRAD had a strength of 27,000 in 1998 and its primary components consist of two infantry divisions.

There are a total of 33 airborne and infantry battalions within KOSTRAD. Each division contains three infantry and/or airborne brigades; an armoured battalion; cavalry reconnaissance company; field artillery regiment of three battalions; air defence artillery battalion; combat engineer battalion; supply and transportation battalion; medical battalion; signal company; military police company; field maintenance company; and a personnel and administrative detachment.

List of KOSTRAD Commanders

Many KOSTRAD commanders have gone on to very senior Indonesian posts. Suharto became President; General Rudini became Minister of Home Affairs; General Wismoyo is married to the sister of Suharto's late wife; and Lieutenant General Tarub became the armed forces' Chief of the General Staff.